Departmental Publication (Policy and Engagement)
HM Treasury

Mar. 28 2024

Source Page: Treasury Minutes – March 2024
Document: Treasury Minutes - March 2024 (print) (PDF)

Found: most harmful drugs, specifically opiates and crack cocaine.

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Departmental Publication (Policy and Engagement)
HM Treasury

Mar. 28 2024

Source Page: Treasury Minutes – March 2024
Document: Treasury Minutes - March 2024 (web) (PDF)

Found: most harmful drugs, specifically opiates and crack cocaine.

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Non-Departmental Publication (Statistics)
Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs

Mar. 28 2024

Source Page: Uncontrolled novel benzodiazepines: 2024 update
Document: ACMD report: recently encountered uncontrolled novel benzodiazepines and related compounds (2024 update) (PDF)

Found: 1 ACMD Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs Recently encountered uncontrolled novel benzodiazepines

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Select Committee

First Special Report of Session 2023-24 - Eighth Annual Report of the Chair of the Committee of Public Accounts

Report Mar. 28 2024

Committee: Public Accounts Committee

Found: Illegal drugs cause significant harm to individuals and communities. 31 In 2021, drugs caused the death

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Select Committee

Second Report - The constitutional relationship with the Crown Dependencies

Report Mar. 28 2024

Committee: Justice Committee (Department: Ministry of Justice)

Found: 7th The role of adult custodial remand in the criminal justice systemHC 264 8th Appointment of the Prisons

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Written Question

Prisons: Drugs and Mobile Phones

Thursday 28th March 2024

Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps his Department is taking to help tackle the smuggling of (a) drugs and (b) communication devices into prisons.

Answered by Edward Argar - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

We are committed to tackling the smuggling of all illicit items into prisons, including drugs and communication devices such as mobile phones.

We completed the £100 million Security Investment Programme in March 2022, which included funding to bolster physical security measures. This investment delivered 75 additional X-ray body scanners, resulting in full coverage across the closed adult male estate. As of October 2023, we had recorded 46,925 positive indications, helping to tackle the supply of drugs and mobile phones into prisons. We also deployed Enhanced Gate Security to 42 high-risk prisons under this investment, implementing routine searching of staff and visitors. This included 659 dedicated staff, 154 drug sniffing dogs and over 200 pieces of equipment.

We have 165 drug trace detection machines across the prison estate to prevent the smuggling of drugs, such as psychoactive substances, through the mail. The rollout of an additional 20 next-generation devices was completed in March 2024, meaning every public section prison now has this next-generation equipment.

X-ray baggage scanners have been installed at 49 sites (45 prisons and 4 learning centres) building on the rollout of our X-ray body scanners, gate security and drug trace detection machines.

New airspace restrictions took effect on 25 January 2024 to create 400 metre flight restriction zones around all closed prisons and young offender institutions in England and Wales. These will ensure swift action is taken against criminal drone activity, including the smuggling of illicit items.

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Select Committee

Letter from Amy Rees, Chief Executive of HMPPS, dated 19 March 2024 regarding the Follow up to oral evidence session on 5 March 2024

Correspondence Mar. 26 2024

Committee: Justice Committee (Department: Ministry of Justice)

Found: Our approach to referrals/prosecutions of those caught smuggling drugs into prisons The MoJ is committed

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